Sponsors (4)
Adds Medicare coverage for medical nutrition therapy (MNT) for people with eating disorders, starting January 1, 2026. The law defines which providers may furnish and refer MNT, requires an eligible referral or order from a treating practitioner, and sets time limits for covered MNT visits (13 hours in the first year, 4 hours in subsequent years, as specified). The bill also records findings about the prevalence, mortality, care needs, and costs of eating disorders, noting special risks for older adults.
About 28,800,000 people in the United States (9% of the population) will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. It estimates 1,619,300 to 2,080,600 Medicare Part B beneficiaries are affected, including 420,500 to 560,700 beneficiaries who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color.
Eating disorders cause about 10,200 deaths per year in the United States (about one death every 52 minutes). Eating disorders have one of the highest mortality rates among mental illnesses and are linked to serious medical conditions and a much higher suicide risk.
Effective treatment for eating disorders involves four pillars: medical care, psychiatric care, therapy, and medical nutrition therapy. Medicare provides some but not all of these services: it does not cover medical nutrition therapy at the outpatient level and provides no coverage for intensive outpatient or residential treatment levels.
Eating disorders have high economic costs: $64,700,000,000 per year in total, with families and individuals losing $23,500,000,000 per year. Each year eating disorders are responsible for 23,560 inpatient hospitalizations costing $209,700,000 and 53,918 emergency room visits costing $29,300,000.
Eating disorders among older adults are especially serious because existing chronic illnesses may worsen outcomes; early diagnosis and proper treatment for older adults is essential.
Primary beneficiaries are Medicare enrollees diagnosed with eating disorders who need medical nutrition therapy; they will gain access to a defined set of MNT services when referred by an eligible practitioner. Older adults on Medicare—identified as especially at risk—may see particular benefit. Health care providers who furnish MNT (e.g., appropriately credentialed nutrition professionals and authorized treating practitioners) will be able to bill Medicare for qualifying services, subject to provider eligibility and the referral requirement. The amendment limits covered hours to focus benefits and constrain utilization, which moderates program spending increases; CMS will need to issue implementation guidance, update billing codes and payment policies, and educate providers and beneficiaries. The change places no direct mandates on states and does not appropriate new funds within the bill text, though Medicare outlays may increase depending on uptake.
Last progress June 5, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 5, 2025 by Margaret Wood Hassan
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Updated 2 days ago
Last progress March 31, 2025 (10 months ago)